Adhesive and flame resistance behavior of poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide) (PEPO) and PEPO‐modified epoxy resins

Poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide) (PEPO) with controlled molecular weights and amine end‐groups was synthesized, and used as an adhesive, a coating material for adherend or a modifier for diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)‐based epoxy resins. Closely related poly(arylene ether sulfone) and commercial polyethersulfone, Udel® P‐1700, were also utilized for comparison purposes. Adhesive behavior was measured via single lap shear samples as a function of coated polymer type, test temperature (R.T. and 100°C), and aging condition in boiling distilled water or 5% salt water. Flame resistance of PEPO and PEPO‐modified epoxy resin was evaluated by TGA and a flame test. PEPO exhibited better adhesive properties than PES or Udel® P‐1700. PEPO coating on an Al adherend markedly improved adhesive property of PES and Udel® even at 100°C, and after aging study failure mode changed from adhesive to cohesive with the PEPO. Aminophenyl terminated PEPO‐modified epoxy resins also exhibited highly improved adhesive behavior and flame resistance, compared to control samples. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 1198–1205, 2001     

Glass‐polymer melt hybrids. I: Viscoelastic properties of novel affordable organic‐inorganic polymer hybrids

A novel class of organic‐inorganic polymer hybrids was developed by melt‐blending up to 50 (v/v) % [about 83 (w/w) %] tin‐based polyphosphate glass (Pglass) and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) in conventional plastics processing equipment. The liquid‐ and solid‐state rheology of the polymer hybrids was studied under oscillatory shear flow and deformation to understand the behavior of these materials and to accelerate efforts to melt process the Pglass with organic polymers. All the materials were found to be linearly viscoelastic in the range of temperature and frequencies examined and their viscoelastic functions increased with increasing Pglass concentration. The Pglass significantly enhanced the shear‐thinning characteristics of the Pglass‐LDPE hybrid, indicating the presence of nonlinear chemical and physical interactions between the hybrid components. Morphological examination of the materials by scanning electron microscopy revealed interesting evolution of microstructure of the Pglass phase from droplets (or round beads) to elongated and interpenetrating network structures as the glass concentration was increased in the Pglass‐LDPE hybrids. Melt viscosities of the materials were well described by a simple power‐law equation and a Maxwellian (Hookean) model with three relaxation times. Time‐temperature superpositioning (TTS) of the complex viscosity versus frequency data was excellent at 170°C < T < 220°C and the temperature dependencies of the shift factors conformed excellently well to predictions from an Arrhenius‐type relation, enabling calculation of the flow‐activation energies (25–285 kj/mol) for the materials. The beneficial function of the Pglass in the hybrid system was significantly enhanced by pre‐treating the glass with coupling agents prior to incorporating them into the Pglass‐LDPE hybrids.     

Right‐first‐time production in batch dyeing of wool†,‡

Powder dyes exhibit even more pronounced sorption behaviour than fibres. The moisture content and weight of the dyes and yarns change according to the ambient relative humidity. In this study, the variations determined in dyehouse stores caused weight changes and subsequent dyeings showed differences of Δ□E* and Δ□L* beyond permissible levels. The detrimental influence on the ability to reach right‐first‐time level of acceptance substantially diminishes the profit margin. The consequence for computer colour‐matching should be the integration of the moisture content of dyes and goods in the recipe calculation. From a technological viewpoint, however, it seems preferable to avoid any fluctuation in relative humidity where dyes and goods are stored. The costs incurred for investment in humidity control will pay in the long run and the factor of moisture content may be entirely negligible.     

Swelling kinetics,mechanical properties,and release characteristics of chitosan‐based semi‐IPN hydrogels

Two series of pH‐sensitive semi‐interpenetrating network hydrogels (semi‐IPN) based on chitosan (CS) natural polymer and acrylamide (AAm) and/or N‐hydroxymethyl acrylamide (HMA) monomers by varying the monomer and CS ratios were synthesized by free radical chain polymerization. 5‐Fluorouracil (5‐FU), a model anticancer drug, has been added to the feed composition before the polymerization. The characterization of gels indicated that the drug is molecularly dispersed in the polymer matrix. The swelling kinetics of drug‐loaded gels have decreased with increased HMA content at 37°C in both distilled water and buffer solutions with a pH of 2.1 or 7.4. Elastic modulus of the gels increased with the increase in HMA content and higher CS concentration enhanced the elastic modulus positively. Moreover, cumulative release percentages of the gels for 5‐FU were ca. 10% higher in pH 2.1 than those in pH 7.4 media. It was determined that they can be suitable for the use in both gastric and colon environments. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41886.     

Equilibrium and kinetic isotherms and parameters for molecularly imprinted with sclareol poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐acrylic acid) matrix

The present work continues the previous studies concerning the synthesis and characterization of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with sclareol as template and three poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐acrylic acid) (AN:AA) copolymers with different ratios between monomers as matrices. The previous studies of rheology, elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, batch rebinding tests, and Scatchard analysis, which confirmed the molecular imprinting, are being completed with the current equilibrium and kinetic adsorption studies. For this purpose, eight adsorption isotherms and three kinetic adsorption models were applied to six sets of experimental data obtained after three sclareol‐imprinted adsorbents (MIPs) and three nonimprinted adsorbents (NIPs) were submitted to batch adsorption experiments. After ordering the adsorption models according to the “minimum sum of normalized errors (SNE)” criteria, it was concluded that the adsorption in sclareol imprinted AN:AA copolymers is characterized by low surface coverage, takes place on heterogeneous binding sites and is reversible, while for NIPs the results suggest a difficult adsorption and/or easiness of template extraction, and that NIPs have homogeneous, but nonimprinted micropores. For the kinetic experiments, the minimum SNE for MIPs points to the first order kinetic model, fact that suggests a physical adsorption of template molecules on the imprinted sites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1152–1162, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Enhancement of Thermoelectric Performance in Hierarchical Mesoscopic Oxide Composites of Ca3Co4O9 and La0.8Sr0.2CoO3

The natural contradiction in enhancing electrical conductivity and thermopower in thermoelectric oxides makes it hard to improve the performance of a single thermoelectric oxide material. We report a facile method to construct a unique architecture of thermoelectric oxides that is promising to realize a simultaneous improvement of overall electrical conductivity and thermopower. Here, a series of two‐phase nanocomposites comprising of Ca₃Co₄O₉ (CCO) and La_0.8Sr_0.2CoO₃ (LSCO) has been synthesized through ball milling followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. The electron microscope images reveal that the two constituents form the unique composites while retaining their individual crystalline and morphological identities. Owing to the hierarchical mesoscopic structure with nanoscale particles and submicrometer scale grain boundaries, an external strain is induced into the CCO grains by the LSCO nanoparticles to enhance the thermopower. The mesoscopic structure is also favorable for improving the electrical conductivity. Moreover, the long‐wavelength phonons can be scattered effectively from LSCO nanoparticles and the thermal conductivity is further suppressed. With compromises between power factor and thermal conductivity, the largest ZT achieved is up to 0.41 at 1000 K for the composites with 25 wt% of LSCO.     

Confirmation of the Dominant Defect Mechanism in Amorphous In–Zn–O Through the Application of In Situ Brouwer Analysis

The dominant point defect mechanism of amorphous (a‐) indium zinc oxide (IZO) was probed through in situ electrical characterization of sputtered a‐IZO thin films in response to changes in oxygen partial pressure (pO) at 300C. The results yielded a power law dependence of conductivity (σ) versus pO of ～?1/6. This experimental method, known as Brouwer analysis, confirms doubly‐charged oxygen vacancies as the dominant defect species in a‐IZO. The success of this study suggests that Brouwer analysis is a viable method for studying the defect mechanisms of amorphous oxides.